


Deals and Destiny

by QuitePossiblyInsane



Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Daedric interference, F/F, F/M, Making it up As I Go Along, Modern Girl in Skyrim, Multi, Other, Possible depressive themes, expanded beyond just the game, loose plot for now, main character is an adult, sometimes choices aren't black and white, will attempt to be mostly lore friendly
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-30
Updated: 2020-08-01
Packaged: 2021-02-24 19:02:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,039
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22462957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QuitePossiblyInsane/pseuds/QuitePossiblyInsane
Summary: Destiny Laurence was used to life simply happening around her. She was used to knowing what to expect, and how to react. Her entire life, from birth to death, had been planned out before she had even been born, and a strict upbringing had cemented the expectation into her mind.So when a strangely familiar man, whom she was certain she'd never met, offered her a chance to change her fate, she fully expected it to be a pretty distraction, then back to the same old routine. Of course she had agreed.Norn Cold-Iron had always taken life by the horns. Everything was a chance for adventure, and there was little she wouldn't do to experience something new.When she was offered the opportunity to explore a world she'd never even heard of before, she didn't think twice about the uncertain nature of a deal with the Lord of Pacts, Himself. She could handle anything the world threw at her. Any world.Needless to say, they were both very, very wrong.
Relationships: Female Dovahkiin | Dragonborn/multiple
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	1. Chapter 1

The skies were grey, clouds heavy with rain as Destiny made her way back home from her third date this week. A pair of high heels dangled from one hand, sandals making quiet squeaks against the high-polished, glittery, wet concrete of the sidewalk. Once done-up hair now hung loose and long behind her, an impractical cocktail dress catching the flashing lights.

The crowd had thinned considerably as the first, fat drops began to hit the ground. A distant roll of thunder echoed into the city. Neon lights reflected off the puddles forming on the ground, music spilling from gaudy buildings lining the main road.

It made it all the more surprising when she walked full force into someone else. 

A shiver ran along her spine at the unwanted contact, even as a stammering apology spilled from her lips, "Damn! Crap, I'm sorry. Are you alright? I wasn't looking where I was going."

The man reached out to steady her, "Hey, hey, calm down. I'm just fine. How you doin' kiddo? Don't answer. I don't care. Did you know you look absolutely miserable?"

"Wh--excuse me?" She stepped back, "Look, I've got to go. If you're okay, then I'll be on my way." 

"No hey, hold on kid. I got something I need to ask ya," he held up a hand as if to placate her.

The rain was coming down more heavily around them as a strange feeling of calmness washed over her. Her feet refused to move, and an odd sort of lethargy settled over her, "I'm sorry, do we...know each other?"

"Well, my sweet little Destiny--beautiful name, by the way--I _do_ know you. But if you're asking if we've ever met, the answer to that would be a great, massive 'no,'" he looked her over, taking in every detail of her appearance, "At least not in any way that matters."

She frowned, but the same strange calm kept her rooted to the spot, "I...see. So...what exactly is it you needed to tell me?"

He considered, ducking under a neon lit awning, and watching the pink, yellow and blue lit rain fall. He offered a hand like it was the most normal thing in the world.

She took it without thinking, letting him pull her under the lights without a thought.

"Well see," he started, "I noticed you, walking along in the pouring rain, looking so damn miserable, definitely a bit drunk, and more than a little done with the whole...heiress looking to pop out a kid or three to get your inheritance thing. Honestly, tragic that it fell through with that last fella. From a wealthy family isn't he? Your folks are going to be _livid."_

"How do you know all this? Have you been following me?" Her voice was quiet, barely audible over the rain, but she couldn't seem to speak much louder.

"Now don't you worry about that, pet. I just wanted to put things in perspective for you. I have an offer that I don't think you're going to refuse."

"What sort of offer?" Even as unnaturally calm as she was, her tone was doubtful.

"What if I could get your parents to lay off of you for good, hm? All it would take is for you to ask, maybe shake my hand, or whatever it is you'd like to seal the deal. How's that sound?"

A smile actually broke across her face, "Look, you seem familiar and all. You're...I dunno, probably important, but I doubt my parents will listen."

" _Probably important,_ she says! You really don't know who it is you're talking to!" For just a brief moment annoyance wafted off of him in waves. Then he calmed, "Not to worry! Not at all. You'll know soon enough. Tell you what! If you really don't believe me, what do you have to lose by shaking my hand?"

Destiny looked down at her hand, then to the familiar stranger, "Nothing, I guess..."

"Right! So, what do ya say? I get your family to leave you alone, and you...hmmm. You can owe me a favour. How's that? _Only_ if I keep up my end of the bargain, of course!" He held out his hand again. The look in his eyes was entirely unreadable.

She shook her head with a breathy chuckle, "Okay, fine. Deal." She took his hand in hers, shaking it firmly.

" _Excellent!"_

* * *

Norn hadn't been expecting a bored Daedra to be waiting in her room when she arrived at the inn, but given the recent monotony of her life, it wasn't an entirely unwelcome event. She looked over the admittedly handsome immortal currently lounging across her rented bed, a large dog draped across his lap.

"Something I can do for you, Lord Vile?" She asked after a lengthy pause to set down her equipment, "Barbas."

"I think you have the wrong idea about my little visit here tonight," his tone voiced no surprise, "I actually had an offer for you, my sweet little adventurer." His grin was as sharp as his horns.

"I think you know what my answer is going to be."

"Right you are, but I don't think _you_ have the right idea, Norn. After all, this could well be your _only_ chance at the grandest adventure anyone in all of Tamriel will ever have the chance to have."

_< <Y'know, I'm not so sure that place is really-->>_

"Shut it, mutt. This is between me, and Norn. Keep your nose out of it, or I'll leave you to her."

"Hey, I didn't volunteer to watch your conscience for you, Vile. Tell me your offer so I can refuse it," in spite of her harsh words, he had her attention.

"Impatient, aren't we? Well I won't leave ya waiting," he sat up, leaning toward her slightly, "I'm offering you the opportunity to explore a world called Earth."

"Earth. Like dirt. Look, you'll have to try a lot harder than that if you're looking to bury me."

"No, no, no! Well, _yes,_ that's what the savages call it, but you have my word that I don't plan to bury you, or drop you in some ruin completely unarmed, or any of that. I'm being completely serious when I say it's another world entirely. One with wonders you've never even dreamed of."

"Right. And what's the trick, then?"

"So distrustful! Can't I do something nice for my favourite mortal in the room?"

The woman scoffed, crossing her arms and fixing him with a stern stare.

He deadpanned, "Alright, point taken. Catch is, you'd be trading places with someone else, and once that's done, I'm not going to have the energy to switch the two of you back for at least a year."

She hesitated, before speaking carefully, "Does this other person know about this?"

"Ah, taking all the fun out of it!" He pouted, "Yeah, yeah. I'll tell her."

"She has to agree to it. And I'll not have her getting killed in my place."

" _Fine,"_ he groaned, "Is that all then?"

"Almost."

"You're trying my patience you know. I could well switch you with some stray cat, and see how you enjoy it."

"I'm well aware. Your patience astounds me. I just want to know something before I agree to anything," she leaned in, mirroring him slightly, "What are you getting out of this?"

"If all goes as planned, _entertainment,_ of course. Do you have any idea how boring an eternity is when you don't mix things up a bit? Of course not! So do we have deal then?"

"Fine. You have your deal, Vile."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo! Hope you enjoyed the first chapter. This is my first Skyrim fic, so if I ever go too far off base for lore, feel free to lemme know in the comments.
> 
> I will be attempting to flesh out the world a little bit, add nuance, all that. If you have suggestions, ideas, or obscure bits of lore you'd like to see covered, let me know!
> 
> Anyway, thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Been on a bit of a break from the internet, but now I'm back! Enjoy the chapter.

It was a long walk back home for Destiny, as the rain picked up still heavier. The cold drops on her skin did quite a bit to sober her up, even as the glittery dress clung to her skin with each of the last few steps toward her rental apartment. She'd been making due for over a year now, and was beginning to run low on funds. It was part of why it was so important for her to get married and have a kid, even if that sort of thing was so counter to her preferred lifestyle.

She fumbled for her key, getting the door unlocked and stumbling into the apartment with a sigh. Door shut and locked, shoes dropped to the floor, and sodden dress dropped where she stood as soon as she could wriggle free of it.

Exhausted as she was, she took the time to go by the bathroom, cleaning off her makeup and drying off her hair, before collapsing, nude, tired, and without any strength left in her limbs, into the bed.

She had enough time to wonder how that strange man had known so much about her, and how he thought he could help her with her current predicament, but she didn't have long to think about it before the heavy, slow tendrils of sleep pulled her under.

* * *

Norn waited a fair amount of time after the daedra left, slipping from her armour, into more casual clothing, and having a drink and a meal, before returning to her room for the night. She informed the inkeeper that a friend of hers might be staying here for a few days or more, after, paying off the room for the next week at her discounted rate to be certain that the other woman wouldn't be left stranded with nowhere to go.

The next hour or so was spent writing out instructions on everything she could think of, and all the common knowledge one would need to function in Tamriel, just in case Clavicus Vile had been less communicative with her counterpart than he had already been with Norn herself.

She struggled to stay awake as time crawled past, finishing off her notes with the best explanation that she could, before retiring to the bed, sinking into the soft furs and straw, as sleep in turn sank into her.

* * *

The switch happened late at night. Mere hours after the two had fallen asleep, the earth itself quaked, making the ground almost ripple while the change took place. A multicoloured aurora of lights danced through the sky in the pure, massive energy that was released, centred on these two women, both of whom slept undisturbed, even as chaos churned briefly around them.

They looked just different enough that no one who knew them well would confuse them, but those who paid little attention would easily be fooled. And that besides, what heiress didn't get a little cosmetic surgery now and again? No, it wouldn't too difficult on Norn's end to blend in, at least physically, not with the way Destiny had advertised herself.

Car alarms went off, and wolves howled, as for just a moment, the two, very different worlds overlapped.

Then everything stopped.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AAAAA I got a comment on chapter 2 and suddenly had a wave of inspiration for this fic. Your admiration feeds my muse. OwO Love you all, enjoy the chapter!!

Destiny's head was pounding, and foggy as the thick tendrils of sleep slowly released their grasp on her. The bed underneath her was soft-textured, but oddly firm, the pillow stuffing poking out sharply in spots as consciousness began to settle over her. Soft, incomprehensible voices filtered over her as if from another room, and unfamiliar birdcalls were just audible from outside, though she had never really been allowed to just go out and spend time in nature, so most of those sort of things were woefully unfamiliar.

When she finally opened her eyes, the room was dim, windowless and warm. Only one candle remained lit on the tableside, dancing and flickering with each minute movement in the air. The gossamer filter of dreams still clung to her as she groaned, low and confused at surroundings unlike any she had seen outside of perhaps movies or the odd game she rarely had time for. She wondered what might have brought on such a dream. But then were her dreams ever so lucid? She brushed pale blonde hair out of her face, before glancing down and plucking at the clothing she most certainly had not gone to sleep in.

Had she been kidnapped?

"Oh shit," her voice came out as a whisper as a sudden spike of panic and anxiety hit her like a runaway semi-truck, and all the air left her lungs.

She quickly checked herself over for any restraints or changes she might not have noticed yet, throwing back the heavy fur that covered her lower half, and kept her warm. All told, she noted that her manicure was gone, along with any jewelry she might have been wearing from her date, and, she suspected, any makeup. The clothing was well worn, comfortable but a little rough in the patched areas, and so dated that retro didn't even fit to describe it. She looked like she was dressing as a pauper at a renaissance fair, or like she'd borrowed clothing for a reenactment instead of bringing her own. As far as she could see, she had no new scars or injuries, and as consciousness continued to creep, she found herself quite literally biting the inside of her lip.

If this were a kidnapping, she would be trapped in some way. Admittedly, she hadn't tested the door yet, but it wouldn't do her any good to panic. Whoever it was hadn't harmed her yet. She wondered if she had been drugged, since she didn't even have the foggiest memory of her arrival, being dressed, or having her manicure removed.

She swung her feet off the bed, the stone floor cold against them as she stood, walking over to the candle, which danced more aggressively at her approach. A note sat on the table beside it. More light spilled under the door. The scent of cooking food and old wood and honey wafted in on a draft.

An unattractive frown (or so she had been taught to think of it) creased her face, and she took up the thick, oddly textured paper, recognising that the language written there was not her own, and that she nevertheless understood it.

_Friend,_

_I am sure that you have many questions. The lord of deals is not one to be trifled with, and I have reason to suspect that he told you as little as possible about the sort of deal you were making. I can only hope that you know how to read, and that these words are not written in vain._

_My name is Norn Cold-Iron. I have informed the inkeeper that you are kin to me, and will be staying here for the next week or so. This should give you enough time to get your bearings and to set about making some money. There is a purse with enough coin to get you started on the change of clothes on the table. I hope we are close to the same size, as I did not have enough warning to get you anything else made. If it fits, you are free to use my armor as well. You will find a map beside the clothing, with a small mark where you currently are._

_The land you are in is known as Skyrim, on the continent of Tamriel, on a world called Nirn. I know little of your world, apart from its name, and do not know what information might be most helpful to you. If there is anything you need help with which I do not provide here, look for Falion in Morthal. He can be trusted to know you are not from our world. I have had dealings with him in the past, and he will help you if there is knowledge to be gained from doing so._

_To start, the being you made your deal with is, here, called a Daedric Lord, by name of Clavicus Vile. Do not mention his name, nor flaunt your association with the daedra, here. They are considered, mostly, evil, though it is, in truth, more complex than all of that. Their counterparts, the aedra, or the divines, are the gods most worshipped here, and it would be well advised to familiarise yourself with them._

_If you do not know how to fight, then I suggest you learn. This can be a dangerous place, and you must know how to defend yourself. You will be here for at least a year. Longer, if Lord Vile decides it. I'm certain you had your reasons for accepting this deal. Do what you will, and have no regret._

_The values of the local coin are written on another note in the purse. Should anyone ask after who you are, tell them we are cousins. I am well respected in most holds, and my name will grant you some favour._

_Regards, Norn_

* * *

  
When Norn awoke, it took some time for her to recall the deal of the previous evening. The bed was extremely comfortable, an unfamiliar, smooth material running against her bare skin as she curled up a little tighter in the warm and pleasant bed. When enough time had passed for her to make the effort to open her eyes, she was already well on the way to recalling each detail of the Daedra's words.

The room was a fair size, certainly larger than what she had come to expect in the inns around Skyrim. The walls were made of a material she couldn't identify, and the scent of the place was strange and artificial, though different from the machines in the Dwemer ruins back home. She sat up, unbothered by her own nudity, though slightly put off by the uncomfortable rings and oddly long nails she seemed to be...wearing? Painted a bright, sparkling blue.

A curtain concealed one entire wall, the door, propped open with discarded clothing, perpendicular to the curtain, directly across from the excessively soft bed. The hallway was cool and tiled. There was no ready sign that any sort of instruction had been left in the room for her.   
  
She sighed heavily, stepping out of bed, and looking about for something to wear. The false nails were clunky and uncomfortable as she looked into the wardrobe, taking out the plainest dress that she could find among the strangely decorated clothing, and quickly covering herself.

It seemed she would have to do a little investigating before she went anywhere.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, in the future, I do plan on the parts on both sides being longer. What I wanted to ask is what sort of complications do you think would crop up for someone from Nirn in our world, and vice versa? Anything funny, interesting or serious you'd like to see my take on? Feel free to ask in the comments.


End file.
